Marine dad surprises son at school assembly

DELTONA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Pride Elementary School in Deltona, Florida is like one big family. On Friday afternoon, that family put on quite a surprise party for 5-year-old Pearson Fantauzzi.

Fantauzzi thought he was going to an assembly to honor kids with perfect attendance and to honor members of the military, since Veterans Day is right around the corner. Little did he know, his father, Corporal Michael Fantauzzi, a Marine who's been away on active duty, was in town after four years of active duty.

When Fantauzzi walked out on stage, his son ran and grabbed his dad for a long embrace.

"He jumped up like a grasshopper and ran towards me," Fantauzzi said. "He knows how to pull my heart strings."

Little Pearson said after the surprise, "I'm happy my dad's home!"

Pearson and his one-year-old brother, Grayson, have spent most of their lives looking at their dad on a computer screen. Now, they can't seem to let go.

Fantauzzi said, "I've been to Florida one time for two weeks in my four years of active duty."

Corporal Fantauzzi is now home for good, and his wife couldn't be happier.

"I've joked around and said I feel like a single parent half the time, you know," said Whitney Fantauzzi.

As for Pride Elementary, it was one school assembly no one here will ever forget.